The invention relates generally to apparatus for monitoring the opening and closing of a door and is more particularly directed to an apparatus and method for detecting unauthorized opening and closing of a door.
In various coin-operated machines, such as slot machines, video games, pinball machines, and other games of chance, it is necessary to detect and keep track of the various times the door to the coin box and interior of the game cabinet is opened. The reason is two-fold: first, it is desirable to detect and to discourage pilfering from the coin box or tampering with the game mechanism itself to alter the game play; second, particularly with gaming devices which accept wagers, it is necessary to keep track of the door openings to maintain a proper accounting of the financial status of the gaming device. Known gaming devices typically have door interlock switches or the like which register when the door has been opened. Unfortunately, it has proven to be quite easy to defeat most door interlock switches. When the switch is defeated, it is possible to gain access to the coin box or the game mechanism without sounding any alarm and without causing a record to be made of the unauthorized door opening.